Star-studded walk down Broadway's memory lane

Published 1:00 am, Sunday, November 14, 2004

Capturing the essence of an age, especially one reverently referred to as "golden," is a daunting task for any historian, be he a film maker or literary lion.

Rick McKay
, an award-winning documentary maker, spent five years on "Broadway: The Golden Age," a motion picture that received glowing reviews when it premiered earlier this year.
It never came to theaters in the Danbury area, but it garnered more than a dozen film awards.
It's just been released on DVD by RCA Victor, and it's an absolute must for anyone who loves the theater. At $19.98 it's also a steal, because the movie runs an hour and 50 minutes, and the bonus has 88 minutes of equally fascinating footage.
McKay's documentary involved interviewing almost a hundred Broadway legends, some of whom sadly passed away before the film was completed.
His mandate was a simple one: While great films may be restored, musical recordings remastered, and great literature kept in print, the Broadway experience could best be documented by soliciting the memories of those who participated in the plays and musicals of any period.
Though Broadway's "golden age" is not specifically defined, it roughly spans the decades from the Great Depression to the advent of the blockbuster musicals of
Andrew Lloyd Webber
and the arrival of the
Disney organization
on the Great White Way.
The film is divided into sections. In "Broadway Bound," performers recount how they got the acting itch, made the scary trek to Broadway, and overcame every obstacle (from poverty to being passed over for parts) until their big break.
The film, revealing audition nerves, first parts, going on for the ailing star, and other backstage dramas, is often very amusing.
Actors, directors and writers are among those McKay sat down with, and the list is a staggering who's who. It comes as a bit of a shock to see how some famous headliners have aged.
Interviewees include
Carol Burnett
,
Bea Arthur
,
Shirley MacLaine
,
Hal Prince
,
Gwen Verdon
,
Eva Marie
Saint,
Angela Lansbury
,
Kitty Carlisle Hart
,
Carol Channing
,
Marlon Brando
,
Robert Goulet
, Tommy Tune,
Jeremy Irons
, Eli Wallach and
Frank Langella
.
The other 85 legends in their own time are just as well known and their memories turn life in the theater into a fascinating experience, more human than we might have suspected from our vantage point on the other side of the footlights.
The bonus has footage of the Los Angeles and New York premieres of "Broadway: The Golden Age," with Hollywood luminaries among the star-studded audiences. It's like being a fly on the wall at a private party of stars, and much more telling than those quick interviews on the red carpets at the Oscars and the Tonys.
Plus, there's a scene in which Gwen Verdon and
Bob Fosse
work on polishing "Whatever Lola Wants" from "Damn Yankees," a recollection by
Marian Seldes
on the great
Katharine Cornell
, and a very revealing story by June Havoc on how she came to star in the original "Pal Joey."
"Broadway:
The Next Generation
," McKay's sequel and a work in progress, is previewed in the bonus with 35 minutes of interviews with 25 stars of today, including
Alex Baldwin
,
Jason Alexander
,
Karen Ziemba
,
Marissa Janet Winokur
,
Liev Schreiber
,
Douglas Sills
and
Cherry Jones
.
Almost all of them rue changes occurring on Broadway, especially the onslaught of the colossal musical.
McKay's documentaries about show business have won awards before. He was the producer and director of "
Elaine Stritch
: At Liberty," which won her a 2004 Emmy award. He made "Birds of a Feather" when he went looking for drag queens for director
Mike Nichols
, who was doing research for his film "The Birdcage."
The affection McKay feels for the theater community is evident in every scene, and you come away feeling you know these stars better than you ever thought you would, or could.
Granted, "Broadway: The Golden Age" will appeal to those who were going to the theater in that period, but the grit and determination of all of those seen here will be an inspiration to anyone thinking about making a career on stage or in any of the performing arts.

"Broadway: The Golden Age" is in stores now with a suggested retail price of $19.98.